Tuberculosis reporting delays prompt formal public health warning
SAN DIEGO, Calif. (San Diego News Online) — Public health officials in San Diego County have issued a warning to the Otay Mesa Detention Center, stating that failing to report communicable diseases, including tuberculosis, in a timely manner can result in disciplinary action against professional licenses. This warning comes as a result of a long-standing disagreement about oversight and reporting communicable diseases in the facility.
County officials pointed out that suspected cases of tuberculosis have to be reported to the local public health officer within one working day of identification. California’s laws require this in order for the public health agency to conduct further investigation, coordinate treatment and minimize the possibility of spreading the infection.
It is worth noting that the warning is due to yet another case where suspected tuberculosis is not reported in a timely manner. According to the report, the suspect started taking treatment on August 5, but the county officials learned about this case only on August 27 – roughly three weeks later. Officials claim that the potential public health risk associated with the particular case is assessed as low.
Why timely tuberculosis reporting matters
Tuberculosis is an infectious disease caused by bacteria that mostly affects the lungs. The disease can be spread through the air, as people with active pulmonary tuberculosis release infectious particles when they cough, speak or perform other activities.
California law mandates that all suspected cases of tuberculosis have to be reported as soon as possible to give health departments the opportunity to identify individuals potentially exposed to the disease, perform testing, surveillance or treatment. The California Department of Public Health’s tuberculosis reporting form states that the reports should be sent to the local health department within one working day.
Reporting obligation applies even before the results of laboratory examination, as long as a healthcare provider has a sufficient clinical reason to suspect active tuberculosis.
The reasons for concern became evident during the June inspection
The most recent warning is prompted by concerns expressed in the report made during the June 12, 2026, County inspection of the Otay Mesa facility.
The inspection took place after the county obtained the access to the facility through legal proceedings. After releasing the findings in August, the officials claimed that, overall, the conditions found during the visit were acceptable and complied with state detention standards, but there were still some health-related concerns.
One of the most pressing concerns was the failure of medical operations at the detention center to notify the county officials about tuberculosis cases.
As per the report, there were two instances where the tuberculosis cases were not reported directly by the medical operations staff of the detention center, and the County officials learned about the cases through a medical testing vendor. The report urged the management to coordinate better with the county public health officials and adhere strictly to the reporting requirement.
There were also such other concerns as the absence of vaccines available in stock during the inspection period and one detainee waiting for a medical equipment.
County provided training after the inspection
Following the June inspection, the County has provided training to the staff of the detention center about disease reporting requirements and how to coordinate with public health officials.
However, according to the latest warning, it appears that the county officials believe that the reporting issues persist despite all the measures taken. The County has emphasized that disciplinary action against professional licenses is possible for those who do not comply with reporting communicable diseases obligations.
The Otay Mesa Detention Center is used for federal immigration detention and is managed by the private company CoreCivic on behalf of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. The facility has become subject to reviews by California Department of Justice as well. The detention oversight program of the state is rooted in legislation passed in 2017 that requires regular reviews of immigration detention facilities.
At the same time, the conflict regarding County access to the facility is still unresolved. The County officials continue to seek the right to inspect the facility in court.
